Community school · Lancashire

Helmshore Primary School

5–11Ages
397Pupils
PrimaryPhase
119195URN

Gregory Fold, Helmshore, Rossendale, BB4 4JW · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.5per place

close to Lancashire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lancashire

135 applications for 55 places · 205th of 366 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

88%met the expected standard

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 30 January 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision	Outstanding

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.5applications per place, Reception

close to Lancashire median (2.6) 0.3 above England median (2.2)

135 applications · 55 places offered · 49 named it first

2026 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.7
2019 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.6
2018 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.7
2017 2.9; Lancashire median median 2.5
2016 2.6; Lancashire median median 2.6
2015 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.5
2014 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.4

More applications per place than the Lancashire median in 1 of 13 years.

This school
Lancashire median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	55	135	2.5	49	0.89
Sep 2025	60	134	2.2	61	1.02
Sep 2024	53	131	2.5	42	0.79
Sep 2023	46	117	2.5	38	0.83
Sep 2022	59	132	2.2	56	0.95
Sep 2021	60	149	2.5	65	1.08
Sep 2020	60	126	2.1	57	0.95
Sep 2019	56	133	2.4	48	0.86
Sep 2018	60	145	2.4	43	0.72
Sep 2017	58	168	2.9	70	1.21
Sep 2016	58	149	2.6	68	1.17
Sep 2015	57	121	2.1	50	0.88
Sep 2014	58	131	2.3	56	0.97

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 91% · Writing 93% · Maths 95% → all three 88% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard88%14th of 444 in Lancashire

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard91%

Lancashire 77% England 78%

Higher standard44%

Lancashire 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard93%

Lancashire 74% England 75%

Greater depth23%

Lancashire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard95%

Lancashire 76% England 77%

Higher standard30%

Lancashire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Lancashire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	88%	14%	107	108
2023/24	86%	14%	109	109
2022/23	78%	18%	109	108

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Helmshore Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

2.5applications per place 88%met the SATs standard
St Veronica's Roman Catholic Primary School, Helmshore
0.3 km · Lancashire

Good2024

4.9applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
Haslingden Broadway Primary School
0.9 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.7applications per place 48%met the SATs standard
Haslingden Primary School
1.5 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2024

1.8applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Haslingden
1.9 km · Lancashire

Outstanding2024

3.6applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Haslingden St James Church of England Primary School
2.1 km · Lancashire

Remains Good · improving2024

1.9applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
Edenfield Church of England Primary School
2.3 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.0applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Rawtenstall Balladen Community Primary School
2.7 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.6applications per place 32%met the SATs standard
St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall
3.1 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2023

3.4applications per place 81%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 119195 · 888/2118
Capacity: 414 pupils · 397 on roll
Free school meals: 5.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Gregory Fold, Helmshore, Rossendale, BB4 4JW
Local authority: Lancashire · Rossendale

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources